Portland officer is fired after lying about her medical condition

Christina Nelson says she was embarrassed by weight-loss
surgery and didn't want word to get out

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

MAXINE BERNSTEIN

The Oregonian Staff

Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer has fired an officer for
being untruthful after she lied to other officers because
she was embarrassed to disclose that she had stomach-banding
surgery to control her weight.

The chief on Monday fired Officer Christina Nelson, 38, for
being untruthful and misleading other officers about her
medical condition in the fall of 2006 when an employee
assistance program staffer asked her for details over the
phone. Nelson told her that she was traveling to Texas for
gallbladder surgery, although she was really headed to
Mexico for emergency surgery to correct complications from a
prior stomach-band surgery.

Nelson said she was embarrassed by her weight-loss surgery
and concerned her medical condition wouldn't remain
confidential. The employee assistance staffer told Nelson
she needed to know why she was applying for money from a
special police bureau emergency fund because a committee
would have to vote to make an award.

However, the chairman of the Portland Police Special
Contributions Committee said last week that the fund
doesn't require officers to divulge the specifics of
their medical conditions, and Nelson never signed any
paperwork attesting to the false medical claim.

"We can't direct them to tell us about a medical
condition, nor would we," said Cmdr. Dave Benson, the
chairman of the committee. "I wouldn't ask that
question because I think that then is a HIPAA (Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
violation."

Police did a criminal investigation into the alleged fraud.
The Multnomah County district attorney's office
declined to prosecute because Nelson didn't sign any
paper making a false statement and the fund likely would
have paid her expenses had she been truthful. Nelson ended
up paying back the $1,000 she received from the fund.

Nelson was called into the Portland Police Bureau's
personnel division Monday afternoon to receive the
chief's termination notice. Supervisors had cleaned out
her locker at East Precinct and presented Nelson with her
belongings. Sizer is on vacation all week.

Nelson, accompanied by Portland police union President
Robert King, said she was disappointed, but not surprised.
The union intends to file a grievance right away, Nelson
said.

"I'm going to challenge it," Nelson said.

Nelson joined the Portland Police Bureau in 2001 after
working 81/2 years as a school police officer.

Portland officer is fired after lying about her medical condition

Christina Nelson says she was embarrassed by weight-loss
surgery and didn't want word to get out

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

MAXINE BERNSTEIN

The Oregonian Staff

Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer has fired an officer for
being untruthful after she lied to other officers because
she was embarrassed to disclose that she had stomach-banding
surgery to control her weight.

The chief on Monday fired Officer Christina Nelson, 38, for
being untruthful and misleading other officers about her
medical condition in the fall of 2006 when an employee
assistance program staffer asked her for details over the
phone. Nelson told her that she was traveling to Texas for
gallbladder surgery, although she was really headed to
Mexico for emergency surgery to correct complications from a
prior stomach-band surgery.

Nelson said she was embarrassed by her weight-loss surgery
and concerned her medical condition wouldn't remain
confidential. The employee assistance staffer told Nelson
she needed to know why she was applying for money from a
special police bureau emergency fund because a committee
would have to vote to make an award.

However, the chairman of the Portland Police Special
Contributions Committee said last week that the fund
doesn't require officers to divulge the specifics of
their medical conditions, and Nelson never signed any
paperwork attesting to the false medical claim.

"We can't direct them to tell us about a medical
condition, nor would we," said Cmdr. Dave Benson, the
chairman of the committee. "I wouldn't ask that
question because I think that then is a HIPAA (Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
violation."

Police did a criminal investigation into the alleged fraud.
The Multnomah County district attorney's office
declined to prosecute because Nelson didn't sign any
paper making a false statement and the fund likely would
have paid her expenses had she been truthful. Nelson ended
up paying back the $1,000 she received from the fund.

Nelson was called into the Portland Police Bureau's
personnel division Monday afternoon to receive the
chief's termination notice. Supervisors had cleaned out
her locker at East Precinct and presented Nelson with her
belongings. Sizer is on vacation all week.

Nelson, accompanied by Portland police union President
Robert King, said she was disappointed, but not surprised.
The union intends to file a grievance right away, Nelson
said.

"I'm going to challenge it," Nelson said.

Nelson joined the Portland Police Bureau in 2001 after
working 81/2 years as a school police officer.